Fish report for March 2, 2016

Lake Don Pedro

Bass fishing remains the top draw with the best action on drop-shot plastics, swimbaits, glide baits and jigs at depths to 30 feet. There is a window for reaction baits along south-facing banks in the afternoons. The lake will be hosting tournaments every weekend in March. Trout action remains very slow, and Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “It is just a waiting game right now since we put in over three limits of rainbow trout at the same time last year.” The launch ramp at the end of the road near Moccasin is under water, and the lake will need to rise to 725 feet for the main Moccasin ramp to be accessible. The Fleming Meadows ramp remains the only operational ramp on the lake, which rose more than 5 feet to 719.84 feet in elevation and 46 percent of capacity. Call: Monte Smith, 209-581-4734; Danny Layne-Fish’n Dan, 209-586-2383; Gary Vella, 209-652-7550; Bait Barn, 209-874-3011.

McClure Reservoir

The bass bite is solid with spinnerbaits, crank baits and jigs all working, but the water is stained and about 51 degrees with the Barrett Cove South Ramp open. There are houseboats in several locations on the lake with the marinas moving the boats into deeper water, and no-wake zones exist throughout the lake. Maintenance work is being completed on one of the gates at the dam. The lake has risen less than 1 foot to 18 percent of capacity and 664.36 feet in elevation. Call: A-1 Bait, 209-563-6505.

McSwain Reservoir

Not much change on the trout front with no plants within the past week. The water is starting to clear after releases from Lake McClure stained the lake over the past few weeks. Trout fishing has been best from the banks near the campgrounds with blue/chrome Kastmasters or garlic rainbow trout dough bait. The lake is down a few feet as work on the Exchequer Dam at Lake McClure continues. Call: McSwain Marina, 209-378-2534.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

At New Melones, the bass bite remains productive with most fishermen catching and releasing solid numbers. The spring-like weather is bringing the bass closer to the banks, and a few large bass have been taken on swimbaits or big plastics or jigs in shad or crawdad patterns. Trout action is starting to come to life, but the overall action remains slow. John Liechty of Glory Hole Sporting Goods in Angels Camp reported, “Some fish are still out in deep water and can be caught using wintertime tactics. The best way to find some good fish is to keep an open mind and fish a handful of areas in both deep and shallow water. The water temperature is still cool, and slower-moving baits are working best. A Texas Rig or shakey head will work when fishing around cover, and switching to a dart head or drop-shot rig is best when fishing in areas void of wood in natural crawdad colors such as green pumpkin, watermelon, brown and purple.” The Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to plant rainbow trout in New Melones, and the action is starting to pick up slightly in the main lake, but the main river channel remains the top location. Bank fishermen are finding success near the Highway 49 Bridge with nightcrawler/marshmallow combinations or trout dough bait on a 3- to 4-foot leader to keep the bait off of the bottom. Boaters are trolling in the main river channel above the 49 Bridge with small spoons in shad patterns near the surface. Liechty also runs Xperience Guide Service and said, “The trout fishing has been slow, but the last few trips we have been landing a few trout. As the water level slows down, I believe the fishing will pick up. We have been catching most of our trout upriver – and make sure you stay in the main river channel or the trees will grab the nice lure you just bought. Speedy Shiners and Needlefish in shad or chrome and blue or black at depths from 8 to 11 feet worked the best, but we also landed a few around 20 feet at speeds from 2.4 to 3 mph.” Kokanee are still a few weeks off, but the warming trend has brought out the catfish and crappie bite with the best time to target whiskerfish in the warmer afternoons along south-facing banks with large chunks of frozen bait. The launch ramp at Glory Hole Point is a two-lane dirt and gravel road with no courtesy dock, and it’s best to launch with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The lake continues to rise, more than 3 feet to 848.01 feet in elevation and 19 percent of capacity within the past week. Call: Glory Hole Sports, 209-736-4333; Monte Smith, 209-581-4734; Danny Layne-Fish’n Dan, 209-586-2383; Sierra Sport Fishing, 209-599-2023.

Half Moon Bay

With the Dungeness crab season having opened Feb. 13, there is finally a reason to start up a boat out of Pillar Point Harbor. Second Captain Micheal Cabanas of the Huli Cat out of Pillar Point Harbor continues to return with limits of crab off Martin’s Beach with up to 33 Dungeness per pot. They pulled 10 pots for 25 limits Friday along with easy limits Sunday. The limit is 10 crab per fishermen for the first time on a party boat. The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing and the Salty Lady, captained by Roger Thomas and Jerad Davis, are still whale watching until the anticipated openings of ocean salmon and rockfish seasons in April. Further north in Pacifica, Rob Chaney of the Rusty Hook reported excellent crabbing off the Pacific Pier with snares or crab traps, and the snares work much better when the surf is up. There have been stripers taken from the beaches at night with lures while surf perch is also strong with sand crabs, pile worms or blood worms. The Sand Crab Classic Surf Perch Contest is coming March 12, and although the event is held in Santa Cruz, fishermen are able to work the San Mateo coastline before making it south to the weigh-in at the Portuguese Hall in Santa Cruz. Call: Happy Hooker, 510-223-5388; Captain Roger Thomas, Salty Lady, 415-760-9362; Emeryville Sport Fishing, 510-654-6040.

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Keith Stemler of Chris’ Fishing Trips in Monterey reported quick limits have been the rule with the Check Mate returning with 24 limits of crab while the Caroline put in 15 limits along with both boats loading up with sand dabs. Saturday’s action resulted in 17 limits on the Check Mate with six crab per angler on the Caroline along with all the sand dabs you could want. They have room throughout the week and into next weekend on the crab/sand dab combination trips. Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing said, “Boaters are reporting full limits of big, firm Dungeness crab on overnight soaks. Even the party boats are getting 10-crab limits for all their customers, every day. The Santa Cruz Harbor is gaining the upper hand on our channel entrance dredging project. The latest soundings show a decent central channel opening up. We have seen an increasing number of boats entering and exiting the harbor mouth this week, including some of the bigger boats like Stagnaro’s Velocity.” Call: Chris’ Landing, 831-375-5951; Bayside Marine, 831-475-2173.

San Francisco Bay

Outside the Golden Gate, Captain Jim Smith put in consecutive days of easy crab limits on the weekend with 38 limits Saturday, followed by another 20 limits Sunday. The action has been fast and furious with an average of more than 20 crab per pot. Captain Trent Slate of Shelter Cove Sport Fishing out of Loch Lomond Marina continues to run crab-only trips, and limits have been the rule. He said, “The big swell scattered our pots, but we were able to find all of the pots, with some holding up to 20 crab while others were empty.” Inside the bay, the buzz was the halibut trolling Sunday with Captain Michael Rescino of the Lovely Martha putting his clients onto nine halibut to 19 pounds along with some striped bass. This score definitely contributed to a number of captains making the run back into the bay. Captain Mike Andrews of Predator Sport Fishing was in San Pablo Bay on Sunday, and in addition to a legal sturgeon on eel, one client landed a bonus 30-inch halibut, also on eel on the anchor.

Delta/Stockton

Striped bass are starting to take over in the normal transition from sturgeon to striper fishing in the Delta. Sturgeon action has been solid for some and a struggle for others. Captain James Smith of the California Dawn had a great day for his clients Saturday with keepers at 56, 55 and 54 inches along with a 62-inch oversized that was released and seven shakers. Captain Jay Lopes of Right Hook Sport Fishing said, “Sturgeon fishing is not what is should be right now. There have been some captains that have found a brief window for biters, but the overall action is much slower than previous years.” Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’D Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg has been consistently finding good action for his clients for legal sturgeon, oversized sturgeon and shakers. He said, “We had an awesome day on the sturgeon ground at the end of the week with all oversized and undersized for our efforts along with a striped bass.” Andy Doudna, organizer of the Addathon Iron Man Sturgeon out of Pittsburg Marina on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, said, “This weekend, the sturgeon fishing improved from the last few weeks. I heard of all sizes of groups of sturgeon being caught from Sacramento to Martinez. I was out on the water throughout the weekend, and I did notice the water is starting to clear up, as there was hardly any grass on gear and surface trash is almost gone. The water temps are ranging from 57 to 61 degrees due to these warmer days and nights.” Jim Pickens of the Fishermen’s Friend in Lodi said, “Sturgeon action has been steady this week in the usual locations on the Sacramento from Pittsburg all the way up to Cache Slough outside of Liberty Island. Striped bass have begun moving into the bay and up into the Delta. Due to the higher water temps, anglers are catching as many trolling as on bait.” Jay Lopes has started trolling for stripers, and he put in three limits to 13 pounds out of the 15 stripers hooked at the end of the week in the Decker Island area. Clyde Wands, striper trolling expert, found slower action this week in the north Delta, where he found quality striped bass last week. Alan Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento reported quality striped bass have been found inside Liberty Island with 6-inch River2Sea Swavers in shad patterns. James Nguyen of Dockside Bait in Pittsburg reported large stripers in the 15- to 20-pound range were brought to the shop Saturday with live splittail while live mudsuckers or frozen shad are producing stripers to 25 inches at depths from 15 to 20 feet. The San Joaquin River continues to be outstanding for largemouth bass as the water continues to clear and warm. Fong said, “Bass fishing is good everywhere, and we have been scoring good numbers and size with chatterbaits or Senkos at depths from 4 to 6 feet.” Dan Mathisen of Dan’s Delta Outdoors in Oakley said, “As water temps reach mid-50s, the black bass bite is rolling in Discovery Bay. Most largemouth anglers are sticking with jigs and slow-rolling blades searching ledges near sparse tule flats. Others looking to beat the clear conditions are starting to crank Red-Eye Shad and Big Poppa’s. In Frank’s Tract, the black bass bite is picking up at a consistent pace with black Blue Fizzles, Swim Jigs and FatSack jigs are great options while spinnerbaits are also productive.” Jim Pickens of the Fishermen’s Friend in Lodi added, “The bass bite on the San Joaquin has been decent this week. Fourteen Mile Slough, King Island, White Slough, Mildred Island and Franks Tract will be your best bets for largemouth. In the stained water, Chatterbaits and Flippin’ dark-colored jigs are working. In cleaner water, squarebill’s and drop-shotting would be best.” Steve Santucci of Steve Santucci’s Fly Fishing Guide Service said, “The Delta is fishing pretty well for numbers and starting to catch a few quality stripers.” Out of Stockton, Brandon Gallegos of H and R Bait said, “The striper bite is picking up in Whiskey Slough and off of Bacon Island Road, but the fish are mostly undersized with a few barely keepers in the mix. The water needs to warm up more in order to bring out the larger stripers.” Call: Randy Pringle, 209-543-6260; Captain Stan Koenigsberger – Quetzal Adventures, 925-570-5303; Intimidator Sport Fishing, 916-806-3030.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Fish report for March 2, 2016."